Fire Destroys Paris's Oldest Covered Market, the Marché des Enfants Rouges

The Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered food market in Paris, was destroyed by a fire that broke out in the early hours of Monday, October 12. Around 150 firefighters and 50 emergency vehicles were deployed, according to Le Monde, and Lieutenant-Colonel Pierre de Bouvier of the Paris fire brigade described the covered market as completely destroyed. Roughly 1,000 square metres of stalls were lost. No serious injuries have been reported, the flames did not reach the surrounding residential buildings, and an investigation into the cause has been opened. The nearby Jardin Madeleine de Scudéry and Square du Temple were temporarily closed.

The market, on Rue de Bretagne in the Marais, was established in 1615 during the reign of Louis XIII and takes its name from a nearby orphanage whose children wore red uniforms. It has been a listed historic monument since 1982. Its tenants ranged from Moroccan and Italian traders to the Japanese chef Taeko Inai, who opened a stall in the early 2000s, and Chez Alain Miam Miam, whose outsized sandwiches drew international visitors via TikTok.

Authorities are still assessing the damage, and the site's future is undecided.